Neutral Ground
by metroanime
Summary: What if the meeting of the Tendos and Saotomes occurred in Neutral Ground?
1. Default Chapter

  
NEUTRAL GROUND 1:  
  
On the Road, To Jusenkyo by Gregg Sharp   
  
A Ranma 1/2 fanfic, revision 4  
  
WARNING: this was the story that started the whole "Bet" thing.  
  
oh, Kasumi-chan, will you do the honors?  
  
"Hai, all characters, situations, places, are: (c) of Takahashi Rumiko, Viz, Kitty Films, Shogokukan, and a number of other VIPs. My goodness, we're owned by that many people? Oh, sorry. No smear or copyright violation is intended, please look both ways before crossing the street, the rain in spain falls mainly on the plain, Gold Digger is (c) Fred Perry, and very bad you fall in spring."  
  
Kasumi-chan? Try to cut down on the caffeine.  
  
"Oh my. Gregg-san, about that scene where I get my curse?"  
  
Ah, Kasumi-chan? There were objections to the Twins plotline. Even though that meant one of you was going to college while the other kept up the house...  
  
"Vox populi writing?."  
  
*sigh* Hai, Kasumi-chan. Hai.  
  
---------  
  
Toltiir was usually in the guise of a little black cat with a plaid collar. He was an Elder god, 950 billion years + old, and considered very very dangerous. Especially if he liked you.  
  
His companion was Takahashi, goddess third class, limited license. Portfolio: bizarre romantic subplots.  
  
They were drinking rice wine.  
  
On seeing this, Urd had grabbed her sister Belldandy's arm and "borrowed" Sleipnir again just to put some distance between THOSE two and herself.  
  
The two quickly decided on a bet. Takahashi would place a tiny change in this timeline, and the two would monitor the results. Toltiir would then make a similar tiny change, and the two would check THOSE results to see who had the greater change.  
  
Of course, you know that this later snowballed. That was how it started, however. Just a tiny little thing.  
  
It was Takahashi's move, she had decided to go first, and Toltiir had acquiesced.   
  
"What timeline will you alter?" The cat asked the woman, who was dressed as a Japanese manga author for no apparent reason.  
  
---------  
  
Shampoo flicked her hair back over her shoulder. "Too bad. If you don't remember, you don't have to die!" Halfway through the sentence Shampoo began her attack. It wasn't a killing blow, of course. She just needed to prove that she *could* then this weak girl would back off. No problem.  
  
"Shampoo! Stop!" Ranma leapt in the way, grabbing at her hands.  
  
For a moment Shampoo snuggled against her airen. "You I love."  
  
"Now WAIT a..." Ranma's protest was interrupted by Akane slamming down into his head with her elbow.  
  
"That's it, Shampoo. You want it, you've got it." Akane leapt forward. "Let's see you..."  
  
Shampoo flipped the clumsy slowpoke overhead, not really paying attention. "Stupid violent girl. Shampoo have chance to get cuddling done. You go practice, come back when challenge."  
  
"AAAAAAGHHHH!" The sound of an uncute tomboy falling onto a pile of broken boards and bricks made an oddly unforgettable impression.  
  
Shampoo started at that noise, then rushed over. "No no no. Stupid violent girl no die! Shampoo no ready go back to China!"  
  
---------  
  
"Ah, redeeming a darkline," said Toltiir with a nod. "Good enough."  
  
"Soun pulls Shampoo off before she can stop the bleeding. By the time Nabiki and Kasumi figure out what Shampoo was doing, they've called Doctor Tofu. Shampoo was beaten rather severely by Genma and Soun, and Tofu falls to pieces with Kasumi hovering around while he works." Takahashi made a gesture. "Akane dies. Ranma forgives Shampoo, especially after it was made apparent that Shampoo had been trying to save Akane's life. Still, it's not nearly what I would prefer. So, just a little change only a few scant weeks previously."  
  
--------  
  
Genma stopped at a sudden thought. This would be the last stop in the training journey, the boy was coming along well. Why not send the postcard now, tell old Soun what was going on, and that the families would be united soon. Heck, Soun was probably out of shape and could use the training himself. If Ranma met his future bride in "neutral territory" it might be better for everyone.  
  
Genma quickly wrote out a letter, putting in details that a postcard wouldn't have room for. This would work, and the plan he and Soun had put together all those years ago would finally come to be.  
  
-------  
  
Soun turned over the letter and smiled.  
  
"Akane, Nabiki, Kasumi! Pack your bags, we're going on a little trip."  
  
-----  
  
Nabiki dialed the number she'd gotten from her father's address book. If the scanty details she'd gotten from her father were correct, they were going to meet an old friend of her father's and that friend's son in some really out of the way place. Even by flight to Tibet  
using Ace's Cargo and a mule ride the rest of the way, this would stretch her finances far more than she'd like. By the sound of it, these two had been on this training trip for nearly ten years, and that meant...   
  
"Hello, is this Mrs Saotome?" Nabiki thought it likely that after a ten year absence, the mother would want to meet the son. If they pooled resources, it shouldn't be so much of a drain on the dojo's tenuous finances.  
  
--------  
  
The meeting between families had gone relatively without problem, though it ended up taking an extra two hours for the trip despite or because of the presence of the mules.  
  
This brought the group to the aforementioned "Training Ground Of Cursed Springs" that Genma had been throwing hints out about. "Legendary battleground" and "ancient training spot for masters of the martial arts" were phrases he'd heard from the person selling him the   
guidebook, and he didn't hesitate to parrot bits and pieces of the salesman's spiel. It made him seem far more informed than he actually was.  
  
Soun Tendo came up with the idea of getting pictures of his family at such an infamous site, making a family portrait with all three daughters, Ranma, and his father.   
  
"Look, nothing to it," Nabiki grabbed one of the bamboo poles, and slowly moved climbed up until she was balanced (shakily) upon the top, like Ranma, Akane, and Genma. A couple of twitches, but she eventually got to the point where she wasn't windmilling her arms.  
  
Kasumi stood nearby, looking up and shaking her head at how silly the whole thing looked.  
  
Nodoka Saotome and Soun Tendo looked on from the side, waiting for that odd Chinese Guide to come out of his hut. He'd ran in there saying something about having "so many visitors to Cursed Springs all at same time."  
  
Soun adjusted the camera. He wanted to get several shots from different angles.  
  
*CLICK* one photo while Kasumi smiled, Nabiki tried to catch her balance again, and Genma and Ranma glared at each other.  
  
Genma caught Soun's eyes. While they were waiting anyway, they might as well do it now.  
  
"Daughters," Soun said loud enough to catch everyone's attention. "I said that I had some important news to tell you, but I think I'll let Genma tell you since it WAS originally his idea."  
  
Ranma glanced at his father. Why did the old man have to make such a stupid promise to his mother? They were going to hit him with some stupid suggestion like going shopping or something, and he'd have to be "a man among men" and not complain about it or "off with their heads."  
It was a good thing his stupid oyaji warned him about this "man among men" contract shortly after the two families had met on the trail. Ranma shuddered to think what might have happened otherwise.  
  
Nabiki, Akane, and Kasumi expectantly watched Genma as he balanced on his own pole.  
  
"Many years ago," Genma started. "It was decided that the two schools of the 'Anything Goes' style of martial arts would be joined. My son would marry one of Soun's daughters."  
  
"WHAT!?!" Three women erupted. Nabiki nearly fell from her perch.   
  
Akane growled at Ranma, but it penetrated that he had turned pale and was looking just as shocked. He hadn't known either, then. The glare was turned in full upon the two fathers. Well, he was probably a pervert anyway, he was a BOY after all.  
  
"So you see, Ranma, you'll need to choose one of these three as your fiancee." Ranma's mother smiled. "But not right now, I think."  
  
Ranma almost fell off his pole, his shock so obvious that it penetrated Akane's anger a second time. Ranma would have expected his father to do things to screw up his life, but his mother? Of course, if he complained now then that wouldn't be very manly, would it? Maybe a  
gentle protest of some kind?  
  
"I..." Whatever Ranma was about to say would remain unknown. A yellow and black blur sliced through the bamboo pole he was still standing on. Ranma flipped away, leaping to two other poles before he regained enough balance to stop.  
  
The Jusenkyo Guide, finally having found his map, was halfway out the door when he noticed what was going on. "Oh, sirs, very terrible you have fight at cursed springs!" Naturally, this stopped the Jusenkyo Guide's forward momentum. He had been the Guide here for many years, and didn't want to end up cursed. He stuck around because this job was still better than his cousin Lo's job - quality control testing at a landmine factory.  
  
"WHAT?!" Nabiki's reaction to the projectiles raining down from above was predictable. She lost her balance, which hadn't been too secure to begin with, screamed briefly and made quite a splash as she entered the pool. She clawed briefly at the surface before being drawn under, though Kasumi and Nodoka noticed the skin of her hands were CHANGING as she reached for air.  
  
"Poor girl she fall in Spring Of Drowned Cat, now whoever fall in spring take body of cat!"  
  
Akane merely yelped and turned to face her attacker. There was a boy atop one of the ledges throwing the odd missles. Akane glanced down to find that the odd weapons were..."bandanas?"  
  
As another bandana cut through her pole, an idle portion of Akane's mind noted there was a cat getting out of the pool that Nabiki had fallen in, and her father and Mrs Saotome were running  
forward. Then Akane hit the water herself.  
  
Kasumi managed a startled "Ara!" and tried to get away from these bandanas that were actually digging into the ground and slicing through the poles. She was able to get a short distance before she saw Ranma slam into a pool. Avoiding the splash, Kasumi felt herself sliding  
in the mud towards another of the springs. "I really don't want to be here, please let this be a dream sequence."  
  
"Ranma, I shall destroy your happiness!"  
  
Genma flipped back out of the way of yet another bandanna only to miss the pole. "I'm NOT Ranma! Oops."  
  
*SPLASH!*  
  
"You stand in the way of my righteous vengeance!"  
  
"Oh sir! You fall in Spring Of Drowned Panda, terrible tragic story..."  
  
"Meow!" Nabiki-neko agreed and ran to the pool where a coughing and barely conscious Akane was now trying to pull herself out. Akane began to slide back into the pool when a fifteen pound cat locked her teeth into her sister's clothing and dug her claws into the ground for all she was worth. She was holding, but the difference in mass was just too much.  
  
Nodoka saw the problem and changed course to come to the rescue, only to find the path cut off by another set of bandanas slicing into the ground. She looked up to see the boy open his umbrella and leap from the cliff.  
  
*SPLASH!*  
  
The boy had landed now and was trying to keep an eye on Nodoka Saotome while looking for Ranma. One of the other pools erupted.  
  
"Kasumi!" Soun said with relief. "Kasumi?!?" Kasumi landed atop one of the bamboo poles, assuming a combat stance as she balanced perfectly.  
  
A cat looked up at Kasumi and meowed.  
  
"Ah, that one fall in Spring Of Drowned Amazon Warrior. Very terrible tragic story of fight between great warrior of the Amazons who fight powerful demon here 2,300 year ago. She slay  
demon then fall from wounds into pool where she drown. Terrible story, sirs, now whoever fall in spring take body of Amazon."  
  
Kasumi frowned. That was not how SHE remembered it.  
  
Nabiki-neko meowed something that sounded curious.  
  
Ranma erupted out of the pool. It sank past the otherwise all-consuming fury that someone was screaming. His mother, who was supposed to be so tough was screaming at the sight of him. Ranma had felt his body change, and was now wondering if he dared to look.  
  
Ranma's eyes caught a glimpse of the attacker and rage built up again. The boy looked familiar but he was attacking his mother! Wings caught the air, and Ranma banked towards the figure.  
  
A bandana slammed into each wing, which were sufficiently tough that there was no damage, but Ranma had only been a dragon for less than one minute and really hadn't logged more than a few seconds of flight time. He went down.  
  
*SPLASH*  
  
Nabiki was watching as Ranma came floating back up to the surface of the pool, face down. Cursing that she had the small cat body, she ran towards him, finally leaping atop his back.  
  
She glanced around, Kasumi wasn't paying attention, blocking the few projectiles that came her way. Nodoka was trying to get the unconcious Akane to start breathing. The panda was trying to get over to where he could assist his wife, while Nabiki's father was on his knees crying about what had happened.  
  
Howling in frustration, Nabiki BIT the body underneath her but couldn't seem to get her teeth to penetrate the soft flesh. *Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up.* Memories of the hospital, of her mother's dead body, of the last time she'd allowed herself tears when her mother wouldn't wake up.  
  
The body beneath her abruptly spasmed and Nabiki felt a moment's relief before she hit the water. The sensation of CHANGING again came over her.  
  
"Agggghh. Those two fall in Nyannichuan. Terrible tragic story of..."  
  
Nabiki almost wept for joy. She had hands again! Well, sort of. Too wasted to move, she watched as Ranma got his second wind. Her ears flattened as she caught a look at their attacker, her tail switching back and forth in agitation. Claws extended, Nabiki watched for an opening as a catlike persona took control.   
  
Nabiki's eyes widened as she saw Ranma move. Ranma wasn't a dragon anymore, but he was still changed. Long red batlike wings popped out of nowhere from midback and the redhaired girl wearing Ranma's clothing (now with a new set of openings on the back) leapt into the air.  
  
"Ranma?!" The attacker seemed startled as Ranma bore down on the boy, whose umbrella was still blocking another strike from Mrs Saotome. A moment later, Ranma had connected with a flying (literally) kick to the boy's head.  
  
Said boy went backwards, landing almost in another pool. Before he could move he felt a katana pressing lightly against his neck. He looked up to see a very unhappy looking panda, an unreadable expression on the face of the katana-wielder, and a red haired girl in the remains of a red Chinese shirt glaring down at him.  
  
"Uhm, sorry?" Ryouga meekly managed.  
  
--------  
  
in this alterniverse, pools mix with the last spring being the dominant. Ranma fell in dragon/girl, Nabiki fell in cat/girl. Kasumi fell in the Splitting spring in version 1, i got enough feedback on that to change it, and there was enough positive comments about Kasumi the Amazon in Happi Days that it seemed appro. The other possibilies that i'd narrowed it down to were Werecheetah or Angel. It's not in fanfics, but one of the observed rules of the manga seems to be that nothing really Bad ever happens to Kasumi. Akane made the Akanenichuan early. Ryouga hasn't been cursed to this point, but if you think he's getting off that easily...  
  
  
2001: This was the first time i'd written Nabiki as a catgirl. Somehow the concept seems so natural that i keep returning to it.  
  



	2. Nabiki Nekomimi

NEUTRAL GROUND 2:  
  
Nabiki Nekomimi by Gregg Sharp  
  
A Ranma 1/2 fanfic  
  
"Konnichi wa, all characters, situations, places, are: (c) of Takahashi Rumiko, Viz, Kitty Films, Shogokukan, and a number of other VIPs. Just like I said in the last episode. You were paying attention, weren't you? Gold Digger and associated characters and conventions are (c) Fred Perry & Antarctic Press."  
  
Thank you, Kasumi, you must be back on decaf.  
  
"Hai. Oh, and Nabiki turns into a nekomimi (catgirl), Akane set up the Akanenichuan, and Ranma turns into a dragon-girl. Oh my, it's almost a super-saiyan powerup isn't it? Because the Tendo family meets the Saotomes on the way to Juusenkyo, Ryouga has attacked Ranma with  
the entire family there, so most of us have curses.   
  
"At this point, everyone thinks that I fell in Spring Of Drowned Twin. They will learn the truth in this chapter, right, Gregg-san?"  
  
Uhm, no actually. that's in Neutral 3. Ahem, this is basically just a reformatting of the earlier story, where i'm trying to fix it up a little for fanfiction.net - it's not a new story by any means...  
  
--------  
  
Nabiki-n flicked her feline ears back and forth, checking them out. Her tail twitched as she glared at the boy responsible for her current predicament.  
  
"Thissss rrrreally sssssuckssss," she managed. It was obvious that while her appearance was easily 90% human, that this was just the surface of her cursed form. "Give me one rrrreasssson that I don't take thisss out of yourrrrr hide."  
  
"Uhm, I'm really sorry, but isn't this all Ranma's fault for running out on our duel earlier?"  
  
Nabiki-n noticed that Ranma-d wasn't paying any attention to the drama behind her. Still largely locked in horror at the gender change.  
  
Kasumi was trying to get Akane to breathe again. Genma was unconscious. Her own father was a blubbering wreck. No help there.  
  
Nabiki-n hissed, baring her fangs as she looked at the figure backed up against one of the springs by Ranma's mother. Her tail lashed back and forth, agitated.   
  
Nabiki-n stopped and regarded Ranma. Had all this been too much for him? Her? Whatever? Her eyes tracked back to the boy she held responsible for this tragedy.  
  
Kasumi asked Ranma to put her hands here and here, then Kasumi hit a set of pressure points in Ranma's back.  
  
Ranma responded with a wordless scream and a pillar of golden energy ripping the ground up around her. Energy flared down Ranma's arms into Nabiki's youngest sister.  
  
Golden eyes in Ranma's face met Nabiki-n's catlike eyes briefly. Ranma was reaching deep within himself, tapping the increased reserves of ki of his dragon-girl form.  
  
Nabiki-n watched as the energy flowed from Ranma into her little sister.  
  
Drawing her legs under her, Nabiki-n continued to watch as her sister was brought back from the edge of death. She just hoped that Ranma knew what she was doing. Or, since Kasumi had been the one to direct Ranma, that Kasumi knew what she was doing.  
  
Ranma would have agreed.  
  
------------  
  
Cologne and the elders looked up from their preparations for the tournament. A pillar of chi lanced up into the sky, and a tremor could be felt through the ground.  
  
Cologne's eyes narrowed as she considered what the Musk Dynasty might be up to. Herb was the immediate suspect, his idiot cousin Kagashi having a more powerful chi level but wasn't able to use it except in strength and durability enhancement.  
  
Perhaps a little quiet investigation was in order.  
  
--------  
  
Nodoka watched in astonishment hidden behind a cool facade as Ranma-d glowed with golden flames that seemed to writhe like serpents. Her wings had manifested again, turning from the red of her hair to a buttery golden color. As she watched the hair changed to the same hue, and the glow spread from Ranma's hands into the drowned girl's body.  
  
The "drowned" girl abruptly coughed up blood and water, her back spasming as she rolled over onto her side.  
  
Ranma-d's glow vanished, the wings folded back and also vanished, and her coloration returned to normal. Looking at the weakly coughing girl in front of her, she managed to smile.  
  
Then she collapsed, only to be stopped by Kasumi before she could fall into a pool.  
  
"You did it, Ranma-chan," Kasumi said with a smile, lifting the dragongirl easily and moving to an area where her cargo could be safely laid down.   
  
Then she went and began massaging Akane's back to encourage breathing and let the rest of the waters be expelled before she was moved away from the Springs.  
  
---  
  
Nabiki snarled as Ryouga tried to run, only to find that Ranma's mother was pretty quick with that sword. Ryouga fell backwards into the pool that Akane had just come from, exited the other side and was out and running in a flash.  
  
Nabiki-n noticed that his scent had changed, and the clothes seemed to hang a little funny on their attacker. She shrugged and started cleaning herself, she certainly wasn't going to go chasing the boy through these cursed pools. If they met afterwards, though...  
  
"Akane's breathing all right now, both she and Ranma are out cold, and I'm certainly not chasing that boy when these pools turn you into something else. You, Mister Guide, can you provide a few explanations, please?" Nadoka sheathed the family katana and bowed politely to the Jusenkyo Guide.  
  
"Ah do not worry, you can temporarily cure curses by hot water. Only until next time get splashed with cold water, though."  
  
"Why is my daughter acting like a cat?"  
  
"I can answer that," an undersized old woman hopping on an oversized walking stick came from the overhead cliffs to land on the ground nearby.  
  
Nabiki-n pretended to ignore everything around her, seemingly absorbed in the task of licking her hands and arms clean. Anyone who knew cats would know that she wasn't ignoring anything.  
  
"My name is Ku Lon," said the old woman. She indicated the collapsed Ranma. "I take it that THIS is the person responsible for the burst of chi I detected earlier."  
  
"Cologne?"  
  
"Close enough."  
  
"You said you could explain," Soun reminded. He pointed at his middle daughter.   
  
"As for THAT child, each of the pools or combinations of pools carries a second curse. For the most part it is being a 'water magnet' but in the case of a cat/girl combination, the feline instincts and attitudes are much more in control. She'll act very catlike in that form, that's all."  
  
"There's no cure?" Soun repeated.  
  
"No, that's not true. Jusenkyo is not easily cured, however. In many cases simply a bath in Spring Of Drowned Man is enough for a man to return to normal. However, the curse has to be ready to release you."  
  
Nabiki flicked an ear. Like the pool could have really have had much of an effect on her. Moving to this Ranma's side, she decided that Ranma needed some company while the others worried about everything.  
  
Akane watched with a certain horrified fascination as her sister curled up next to Ranma and started purring.  
  
------  
  
"He, no, SHE's still asleep?"  
  
"What do you mean I drowned?"  
  
"Oh my."  
  
"This was NOT one of your better ideas, daddy." Nabiki watched as the Jusenkyo Guide turned his attention to the sleeping dragon girl.  
  
As the hot water touched Ranma, she shifted back to the male Ranma and he awoke. He still looked like he'd done a triathalon.  
  
"Oh man, do I hurt." Ranma looked over at where Akane was sitting. "Are you..."  
  
"I..." Akane seemed to hunt for the words. "I guess you saved my life. Thank you."  
  
"I...couldn't...I." Ranma saw his mother behind Akane putting a finger over her lips. "ah."  
  
Kasumi merely looked thoughtful.  
  
------  
  
"This, sirs and ladies, is Amazon village of Nichieju," the Guide thought that considering how the one young lady was acting, she should fit in fine. "Oh, very lucky, today the woman have tournament."  
  
Genma motioned to Soun, ignoring the still groggy Ranma. A banquet had been laid before them and it would be impolite not to indulge.  
  
"Are you sure that's a woman," asked Nabiki in a sarcastic tone as a huge woman carrying a studded club got on one side of a suspended log.  
  
"Well, that one more pretty." The Guide directed their attention to the other warrior. "You watch this, winning tournament is very great honor."  
  
The clash of weapons back and forth paused briefly, and in that lull carried an idle comment with all the impact of a rifle shot. "They're not so hot."  
  
Nabiki exchanged a glance with Kasumi and both stepped back away from their sister. Nadoka looked at Akane with a "I can't believe you said that" expression.   
  
"Outsider girl want to try," came a sweet voice. One of the younger girls, perhaps fourteen, tapped Akane on the shoulder. "Outsider girl great warrior, maybe demonstrate how good she is?"   
  
"Why not?" Akane shrugged off the Guide's look of horror.   
  
The other girl motioned towards a ring of dark sand within a smaller ring of white sand. "We fight in circle, okay? I Rie Ga of Nichieju."  
  
Akane stood opposite of Rie Ga and bowed, not taking her eyes off her smaller opponent. "I am Akane Tendo of the Tendo Training Hall."  
  
Rie Ga smiled. She hadn't understood much of what the other had said, but this Akane had the same name as her village. Maybe she was of a highly placed family, in which case the spoiled girl would get her comeuppance.  
  
"Fight!" Another Amazon slashed the air between the two with a flag then stepped away.  
  
Nodoka was watching this when a commotion behind her drew her attention. The younger Amazon from the log battle was yelling at the two men who had started eating from the table. Nabiki swore. If the situation hadn't been so bad, Nodoka would have been scandalized.  
  
"You eat prize," the purple-haired girl was yelling again, "you die."  
  
"Wait a minute," Ranma said, groaning as he got up. "If it's the prize, then if I beat you then there's no problem, right?"  
  
An old woman called out something in Chinese, but the girl replied in the same language in a tone that certainly carried her disdain for the outsiders. Nodoka looked again, recognizing that this was the elder that had been at the pools earlier.  
  
Meanwhile, Kasumi was wincing as Akane was being pounded into the sand by her shorter and younger opponent.   
  
*THUD BLOCK SMACK* "You give yet?"  
  
"NO! This doesn't hurt."  
  
*WHAMWHAMWHAMWHAM* "You give yet?"  
  
"You just wait, I'm just getting warmed up!"  
  
*WEDGIE BOOT-TO-DA-HEAD TOESTOMP* "Now?"  
  
"Hold still!"  
  
"Akane of Tendo very stubborn," Rie Ga smiled. "She have much pride, would make good amazon." *WHAM*  
  
"Ungh. Just wait'll I..."  
  
Rie Ga interrupted Akane by picking the outsider up and tossing her outside the ring. "Now Rie Ga not have to give kiss of death to outsider. Rie Ga win, now say you good fighter, just not good as Rie Ga. Think Akane of Tendo much like Rie Ga, very proud, very strong, very much speak mind."  
  
"Kiss of death?" The statement was enough to get Nodoka's attention from the match about to take place up on the log.  
  
"Yes, if outsider defeat Amazon then Amazon must give 'kiss of death' - is vow to track to ends of Earth and kill." Rie Ga glanced over at the old woman and said in a much quieter voice. "Village Elders really stickler for old fashioned laws like that."  
  
*THWACK* Said Village Elder (Cologne again) almost seemed to teleport behind Rie Ga and brought her staff down on the young girl's head. "A little more respect for your Elders, girl."  
  
"Uh oh," came from Nodoka, Kasumi, and Nabiki as they turned towards Ranma who was currently kicking his opponent completely off the log.  
  
"Oh my." Kasumi grabbed her backpack.  
  
Nabiki swore again, this time using German (she only knew a few of the wrong words, but it sounded like a language built for swearing in.)  
  
Nadoka grabbed her husband and Mister Tendo and quietly indicated that she thought the time was appropriate for a strategic withdrawal.   
  
The decision to return to Japan was unanimous.  
  
-----  
  
Second part of Neutral Ground finished.  
  
NEXT: Ranma discovers his power up and the price tag. Akane tries to spar Ranma. Nabiki figures out what her other form is good for. Kasumi makes plans to return to college, after all, she CAN be in two places at the same time.  
Voiceover: Will Nabiki's cursed form trigger the Nekoken?  
Nabiki looks up from counting her yen and meows.  
Voiceover: Will Genma and Ranma pay the price for Ranma not being a "Man among men?"  
Ranma and Genma bigsweat as Nodoka starts unwrapping her bundle.  
Voiceover: And what of Tatewaki Kuno?  
Kuno grins at the camera. "Ah, I, the fierce and noble Tatewaki Kuno shall smite the evil dragon!"  
Voiceover: Will he be as clueless as ever?  
Kuno sticks tongue out at camera.  
Voiceover: It's all in "Neutral Ground 3":   
  
  
NOTES: go to episode 15 to the scene where Ranma has   
just challenged Shampoo, see the little girl looking   
belligerently up at the panda in the sweeping crowd   
shot? Rie Ga unless i hear otherwise. Likewise the  
amazon in the grey tunic resting her hands on the   
hilt of a sword will be her big sis, Shu Ga.  
  
ja ne!  



	3. Schools & Hearts Are Battlefields

NEUTRAL GROUND 3:  
  
Schools & Hearts Are Battlefields by Gregg Sharp  
A Ranma 1/2 fanfic  
  
"Why Shampoo have to do this? Oh, can't afford what Nabiki would charge? Ok, all characters, situations, places, are: (c) of Takahashi Rumiko, Viz, Kitty Films, Shogokukan, and other very rich people. Rie Ga, Shu Ga, etc are based on other people work. You no sue writer, please, he promise Shampoo get ai ren in story currently in his In Box. Is okay?   
  
"I sum up? Nabiki turn into catgirl, Ranma turn into dragongirl. Akane set up the Akanenichuan, and meet cousin Rie Ga. Boy-type Ranma defeat Shampoo in village. Shampoo following Ranma. Rie Ga following Akane, for completely different reason. Least Shampoo think so. Some Amazon funny that way. Because Tendo family meets Saotomes on way to Jusenkyo, Ryouga attack Ranma with entire family there, so most have Jusenkyo curses.  
  
"Why Ryouga so violent? He tough man, but not so good with bee stings. Get stung many times he wander too close to hives we keep in village.  
  
"No mention that in previous chapter because was supposed mention that Chapter 4. Flame message so scene dropped, I mention now instead.  
  
"And no tell writer only Akane valid fiancee, Shampoo think Shampoo  
plenty valid!"  
  
---------  
  
"I was beginning to worry about her." Soun glanced back at Akane, who was beginning to snarl again.  
  
"I don't know, Daddy, I thought it was a refreshing change of pace. How much do those 'anti-anxiety' pills run, anyway?"  
  
"Nabiki, you wouldn't drug Akane, would you?"  
  
"No," Nabiki sighed. "Probably not. You've got to admit that since she started taking those to overcome her flight sickness, she seemed a lot happier."  
  
"True," Kasumi acknowledged the point. "You do know, however, that with similar drugs it can take a month or more for the brain chemistry to reset to normal levels?"  
  
"Hmmm," hmmed Nabiki. "And here I thought you borrowed those medical texts from Doctor Tofu because you had an ulterior motive."  
  
Kasumi blinked, puzzled, wondering what her sister could be referring to.  
  
Akane glared at Ranma, he was just a stupid BOY, anyway. Who needed him? Now here she was engaged to him, and she HATED boys.  
  
Ranma was just puzzled. He didn't like this engagement either, but why take it out on him? It's not like it was HIS fault. So he had to choose, eh? He had one girl who was nice on the trip, now ready to rip his head off with the slightest provocation. Another girl who seemed to view everything in terms of monetary gain and loss. The third and last seemed to be nice but Ranma wasn't sure if she was all there.  
  
Unnoticed by anyone on the train, a girl of about fourteen ran through the crowd, following the man with the red shirt (who stood out a little more than her real target.)  
  
Unnoticed by anyone on the train, another girl with long purple hair was following the fourteen year old. As with the fourteen year old, it was easier than following her own real target.  
  
------  
  
"Ah, home again," Soun gave a contented sigh.  
  
"Nice place y'got here," Ranma noted. He had been afraid it would be one of those tiny little Japanese townhouses like he'd been in during his Kansai days. Those narrow steep stairs had sucked.  
  
Kasumi smiled and went to start preparing snacks. Kasumi was in her kitchen, all was right with the world.  
  
Nabiki left to her room, she had to figure out how much her absence had cost her when she totalled in the various expenses.  
  
Genma and Soun retreated to a shogi board. Nodoka Saotome went to join Kasumi in the kitchen.   
  
As soon as they were alone, Akane glared at Ranma. "Get OUT of my head!"  
  
"Huh?" Ranma looked back at Akane, wondering if she was completely insane or just acted like it.  
  
"When you did whatever that was you did at those pools, you left some of yourself behind. We're alone now, so TAKE it out." Akane had had time to think it over and she was sure that this BOY couldn't have been of any real help there. Therefore, she hadn't been dead  
or dying. There was NO WAY she could owe her life to a BOY.  
  
"I don't know what you mean." Ranma was sure of it now. The entire Tendo family was mentally unstable.  
  
-------  
  
Outside, Rie Ga perched atop the house that her target had entered. Smiling, she crept up the tiles. Rie Ga was good at many things, but she was best as the huntress/tracker.  
  
She heard someone give a startled exclamation and then a splash of water from within the room she had just reached. Frowning, she slowly edged over the roof.   
  
A hand grabbed her collar and pulled her the rest of the way down. She soon found herself looking at the same crowd (minus the guide) that had been in her village a few days ago.  
  
"How the blazes did she get here?" The male that had defeated Shampoo was asking. Impertinent male to speak before his superiors.  
  
She faced the one who had grabbed her. Her eyes widened, she hadn't thought that SHE was a warrior but her skill had been undeniable.  
  
"-You move like an Amazon.-" Rie Ga bowed slightly, intending it as a high compliment.  
  
"-Am an Amazon.-" The warrior replied.  
  
"Kasumi, you speak Chinese?"  
  
"Ah, I had hoped to discuss this when everything had been more settled." Kasumi shook her head. "I am NOT Kasumi, this is merely her body."  
  
"A demon," Akane stepped forward, ready to attack, only to have Nabiki stand up in her way.  
  
Nabiki looked back at Akane. "Oh that's a smart move. Gonna hurt Kasumi's body to drive out the demon?"  
  
"I'm not a demon." Kasumi sighed. "My name is Heisei, and I am a warrior of the Nichieju- an Amazon. More to the point I am, or was, a demon slayer. My arts kept the village safe from the supernatural. Eventually I fell in battle, and my spirit became lost in one of  
the pools of Jusenkyo. Now I am part of the one you call Kasumi, whenever she is splashed when cold water. Hot water returns Kasumi to normal."  
  
"Is Kasumi there?"  
  
"She sleeps. Eventually we may merge to one being, but for now there is one of each of us. When one is awake, the other sleeps. I am the Warrior, she is the Nurturer. I am freed of the Spring because,  
despite our differences, we are much alike." Heisei shrugged. "We're only briefly awake together in the few seconds after being splashed."  
  
"Okay, then," everyone turned towards Rie Ga as Nabiki spoke. One crisis at a time, after all. "We can deal with this later, for now how did Akane's little sparring partner get here and why is she here?"  
  
"Rie Ga follow you."  
  
"You followed us through airport security, on the plane, through another airport security, onto the train, and then all the way home without us noticing?"  
  
"Rie Ga very good stalker."  
  
"So WHY did you follow Akane?"  
  
"Akane very proud. Speak mind. Make good Amazon. Besides, Rie Ga in very much trouble with village elder. Rie Ga also speak mind. Village elder Cologne no like when Rie Ga speak mind. So Rie Ga think  
maybe world outside accept Akane, so maybe outside world accept Rie Ga. At least until village elder stop being so zarked off."  
  
"Is that all?" Nabiki watched the little girl, though she was only three years younger than herself to a seventeen year old that is an impossibly wide gulf of maturity and knowledge.  
  
"One other thing. Cousin of mine, Shampoo good warrior, good tracker. Not best though. Rie Ga best. So see outsider male beat Shampoo, see Shampoo kiss outsider, Rie Ga do duty to family!"  
  
"You mean that 'kiss of death' thing?" Ranma looked a little bit ill.  
  
"It was your own fault, you know." Akane made a point of not looking at him.  
  
"What you mean 'kiss of death'?" Rie Ga looked puzzled.   
  
"See! They don't really have a custom like that anyway," Akane exclaimed.  
  
"Oh, Akane wrong. Big time. We have 'kiss of death' is true. Outsider defeat amazon, Amazon give promise to kill. Is old law, tradition. But that one is outsider MALE, and Shampoo no give kiss of death to that one."  
  
"Oh, what a relief," Ranma sighed. "I didn't want to face some assassin coming after me all the time."  
  
Rie Ga nodded happily. "So Shampoo give 'kiss of marriage' and now come take husband off for honeymoon."  
  
Everyone looked at Ranma who was backing up into the Tendo's back yard.  
  
"No way." He shook his head. "It's gotta be a mistake. I mean...it couldn't be...aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"  
  
Ranma's protest was cut off abruptly as an arm jabbed down from the roof, grabbed the neck of his shirt and rapidly hauled him up and out of sight.  
  
"Wo ai ni!"  
  
Nabiki flipped open her phrase book. "Hmmm. 'It is you I love.' Apparently, this 'kiss of marriage' is serious too."  
  
"Hey, let go!"  
  
Akane glared up at the ceiling as it sounded like acrobatics were being performed on the tiled roof.   
  
Kasumi and Rie Ga looked at each other and said something in Chinese.  
  
Nabiki flipped through her phrase book again. "Let me see, 'nobody escapes from the Amazon glomp.' Now THAT sounds bad."  
  
Akane growled. "That is IT!"  
  
"-Looks like Akane care for Ranma after all,-" Rie Ga quietly said to Kasumi. They both watched Akane slowly climb her way to the roof.  
  
Everyone's eyes tracked the sound of someone stomping on tiles until reaching a point about halfway up the roof. A loud crash and a slight stream of dust from the ceiling marked the end of the glomp.  
  
"You pervert! How dare you!" *CRASH*  
  
"Sounds like she's fighting Shampoo now," Nodoka commented.   
  
"Somehow, I don't think so." Nabiki joined the group standing at the back door.  
  
Ranma, as if jet propelled, landed in the fish pond. The wave of water left a panda and a catgirl in the crowd of otherwise merely damp spectators.  
  
Nabiki felt the transformation in more detail than she had the last time. Her senses becoming many times more acute, the awareness of time being curtailed, the emotions and feelings brimming forth even as her intellect seemed to fuzz up.  
  
"Sisssssss," hissed Nabiki-neko. "Akane no baka."  
  
"Who you callin' a pervert?" Ranma flopped out of the pond. She started wringing her shirt out.   
  
"Ranma turn into girl?" Shampoo stared down at the scene.  
  
"-It's okay. It's a Jusenkyo curse. Hot water will turn him back,-" Kasumi offered helpfully.  
  
"THAT is why you're a pervert! You, you, lech! And you were in that embrace with Shampoo."  
  
"Well, at least I'm not some kawaiikunee tomboy."  
  
Akane snarled and grabbed up a broom to use as a pummelling device.  
  
Nabiki smiled and jumped. Akane watched as the broom came apart in nice even slices, just a few inches from her hands. Nabiki landed on the other side of the pond, grinning like her name should be Cheshire.  
  
She realized this form was seductive, that instinct and emotion played a far more important role than intellect and reason, and that the power of both the form and the intensity of the feelings were like  
a powerful drug.  
  
"Na-nabiki?" Akane looked at the shredded broom in front of her.  
  
"Sisssss." Nabiki looked at her sister, then at the girl who was cringing away from her in the pond. Something instinctive pulled at her about the boy. It wasn't noticeable in her uncursed form, but...  
  
Hot water splashed down on Nabiki, destroying the moment. In mid-yowl, Nabiki shifted forms and nearly knocked herself out on the stones surrounding the koi pond. She noted that her father looked very concerned and was holding the tea kettle. "It needn't be QUITE that hot, Daddy."  
  
"I no recall 'Spring Of Drowned Catgirl.' Must be new one." Rie Ga flipped her hair back. "Cousin Shampoo take Ranma home to village. Akane, you no have to worry about him any more. Is good, yes?"  
  
"Fine, you can both go home with that bimbo, see if I care!" Akane turned and stalked back into the house.  
  
Rie Ga shrugged. "No understand outsider woman. Rie Ga think Rie Ga make big mistake come here." She thought of Cologne. "Well, maybe not leave village BIG mistake."  
  
Kasumi doused herself from the teapot. "Ara..."  
  
"Shampoo no understand this."  
  
Nabiki looked at the fish pond. She felt that she was so close to understanding something about her cursed form. She was aware that she had trouble thinking in that form, but she felt so ALIVE as the catgirl.  
  
"-Cousin Rie Ga, why did she change back into a catgirl?-"  
  
"-I don't know, Shampoo.-"  
  
"-I think that the catgirl likes airen more than the violent girl.-" Shampoo watched as the redhead in the pond was cornered by Nabiki-n, who then proceeded to rub her face against Ranma's shoulder and chest cat-style.  
  
"-I am getting that impression, as well. What puzzles me is that before she changes, she actually seems to have some disdain for him.-"  
  
"Outside women very strange."  
  
"So why you here?"  
  
"Well, like Rie Ga tell," Shampoo said with a roll of her eyes and innocent expression, "want get away from Cologne. Also know that Shampoo give kiss of marriage to Ranma, Ranma and Akane together. Not want to see Akane get 'kiss of death' so figure out what to do."  
  
-----  
  
Soun watched his middle daughter go "catty" again, then start treating Ranma like...  
  
It has been said, with some degree of truth, that neither Genma nor Soun were capable of noticing something even vaguely subtle. Face it, if they'd been able to think things through even moderately, they would not have become disciples of the aged and lecherous martial arts master Happosai. They'd have joined up with Ryuuken or one of the Chinese monastaries ages ago and been quite content.  
  
Still, if one was able to take a hint and apply it with a large blunt object, and said concept didn't violate a major obsession of the two (such as "a Tendo must marry a Saotome and unite the two schools") then both were capable of getting a clue.  
  
Genma and Soun watched the two, Ranma going a little spastic, Nabiki-neko playing with Ranma. The two "uh-hmmmm"-ed about this, then turned their gaze to the other two daughters.  
  
Akane stuck her head out of an upstairs window (not her room as that didn't face the right direction) and yelled something about the two stopping that because it was making her sick.  
  
Kasumi blithely ignored the events in the koi pond, except to add a cat toy to her grocery list.  
  
Genma and Soun looked back at the pond, then at each other.  
  
"You know, Soun..." Genma began.  
  
"...maybe Akane WOULDN'T be the best choice."  
  
"She DOES hate boys."  
  
"Not that I think she's a l-les-les..."  
  
"Soun, the word is lesbian. Sorry, but I think she IS, but it's not the end of the world. You've still got Kasumi and Nabiki." Genma wondered, maybe coming off those relaxing anti-airsick pills had made Akane more irritable than was normal. He shrugged. Then again, maybe not. "Kasumi would be a fine choice, douse her with cold water and she becomes an Amazon warrior versed in their own fighting arts. Hot water and she's a traditional Japanese wife, capable of maintaining a house or a dojo perfectly."  
  
Soun nodded. "If she could teach some of those fighting arts, then she'd be an excellent choice."   
  
In the brief silence following that comment, a purring noise could be heard coming from the area of the koi pond. Both men thought it unlikely that it was Ranma making that particular noise.  
  
"On the other hand, your Nabiki seems to have taken a liking to the lad."   
  
"Only in her half-cat form. She's still only interested in money when she's normal. I _was_ hoping for a cure." The idea was just occurring to Soun that this might actually be useful.  
  
"For which condition, Soun." Genma smiled at the joke.  
  
"I'm not sure." Soun Tendo missed seeing Genma facefault. "Both, maybe."  
  
"So we accidently hose her down every so often, the two of them get together..." Genma smiled.  
  
"And the future of the dojo is assured." Soun smiled as well.  
  
-----  
  
A figure walking through sands, umbrella slung over one shoulder, pauses and shakes a fist at the heavens.  
  
"Ranma Saotome! I shall punish you!"  
  
------  
  
NEXT: since this is 3/6 expect a jump in the timeline.  
  
Well, there's some jumps in the continuity ahead. i may go back sometime and expand these, but it's not going to be in the near future. Maybe when i get a vacation. (Notes a number of people falling off their chairs laughing...)  
  
ttfn  
gregg  
  
  
  



	4. High School Daze

NEUTRAL GROUND 4:   
  
High School Daze by Gregg Sharp  
  
A Ranma 1/2 fanfic  
  
"Yes, yes, we know that all char are (c) R.Takahashi, and she abandoned her project saying that she couldn't do anything more with the storyline. Yeah, right. _I_ still object to being paired off with Kuno-baby, I mean the least she could've done is get me someone whose IQ is greater than that of his bokken.   
  
"This is one of those 'Altered Universe' stories, set in the story arc of 'The Bet' dealing with minor changes resulting in major repercussions for our hapless group.   
  
"If you think I'm being OOC, send me 5000 yen and I MIGHT tell you why...oh, can't do that. What? Free? Ah, I'm out of here, Nabiki Tendo working for free, now that _IS_ Out Of Character. Ja ne."  
  
--------  
  
"C'mon, Ranma, I'll walk you to school."  
  
"Well maybe I'm not ready," Ranma wilted as Nabiki passed him a school bag. "Okay. Maybe I'm ready."  
  
"Wouldn't do to be late for your first day, now would it?" Nabiki smiled. He was NOT getting out of this that easily.  
  
"I guess not," Ranma sighed and followed her. "So when's Akane coming?"  
  
"Don't worry about my dear sister, she's more than capable of looking out for herself." Nabiki watched as Ranma leapt to the top of a fence and continued along it. "Must you do that?"  
  
"Balance training." Seeing Nabiki didn't get it, "ah, Pops always taught me to make training out of damn near anything I did."  
  
"Ranma, we're alone, for the moment at least." Nabiki paused. How to say anything without scaring him off? "I wanted to ask you something."  
  
"About what the old man was saying last night? About the catfist training, and all... Yeah, it's true."  
  
"So my cursed form?" Nabiki looked back up. Ranma WAS uncomfortable with this, but Nabiki realized that ten years on the road with Genma Saotome was not inclined to make one socially adept.  
  
"Makes me a bit, uh, nervous."  
  
Scared is more like it, Nabiki realized. Tsk. Still, there were ways of dealing with fear. "That wasn't what I was going to ask you, anyway."  
  
"No?" Ranma glanced over at her, curious now. Nabiki had been friendly to him, compared to Kasumi - who was distant, and Akane - who was alternately hostile and distant.  
  
"Your cursed form and mine have some common elements, I guess." Nabiki wanted to ask him about it. Did he ever feel the pull, the temptation? She'd always prided herself on control, on her intellect and ability to manipulate others, but there was something in that cat-girl form. That form ran almost purely on emotions and instincts, was stronger and faster, had more acute  
senses and odd talents like the claw attack she'd used on Akane's mallet. Did Ranma find his dragon-girl form as seductive as Nabiki found the cat?   
  
If it were any other boy, she'd thought of a way to put it that might make sense. Her uncursed form was like being a Rolls Royce- stately, elegant, and mainly dignified. It was controlled, comfortable, and beautiful in its way. Her cursed form was a souped up hotrod capable of incredible accelerations and more nimble than anything on the street. It was racy, wild,  
and sexy. Unfortunately, after she'd worked out that explanation, she realized that Ranma had almost no experience with cars.  
  
"Uhm. I suppose." Ranma had no idea what Nabiki was going on about. Still, it had been so long since he'd had a friend, and here was a girl who was actually being nice to him! Well, most of the time. If only Akane weren't so cute. Ranma frowned, where did THAT come from? He also got a very strong impression that money (something he'd always had very little of) was of great  
importance to Nabiki.  
  
"Oh come on, Ranma, I'll show you to your class." She waited for him to jump down then took his hand to hurry him into the school, she smiled both within and without. She rejoiced at the startled faces of the boys waiting for Akane. See, the youngest Tendo daughter isn't the ONLY one who can have a boyfriend! See, I may be the "Ice Queen" but that doesn't mean I'll have to be alone forever! So there, you stuck up girls who've flaunted your relationships before me!   
  
It had hurt her more than she'd let on, when boys had gone out with her and it turned out that they'd either wanted her for something related to her money, or they wanted to get to Akane through her. Nobody approached Nabiki for Nabiki's sake, those who might have were scared off by the "Ice Queen" facade or business shark reputation. Well, let them gawk now!  
  
She glanced back at Ranma, still holding his hand as she ran up the steps. "You want to be able to get a window seat anyway." She still wasn't sure what it was about him. Just a brawny martial artist without much in the way of schooling, Ranma the Barbarian. Still there was a definite attraction that the catgirl felt, and on the trip back she'd seen glimpses past the cocky martial artist facade to a little boy who wanted to be nice and have someone to pal around with.  
  
---  
  
"Why are you two following me?" Akane ran towards the school. "You're going to make me late!"  
  
Shampoo ran a step behind Akane. "Rie Ga say you make good Amazon. She make you candidate for Tribe. Shampoo witness. Watch Akane, report back to Elders. Much honor you accepted as honorary member of tribe." Shampoo deliberately did not mention that Rie Ga would get a fair amount of that honor.  
  
Rie Ga ran nearby. "-Besides, my brother's interested in one Akane Tendo.-"  
  
Shampoo blinked. "-Tie Ga interested in Akane? He's never been interested in any of the girls of the village.-"  
  
Rie Ga smiled and winked at Shampoo. "-If Akane is accepted as an honorary Amazon, then Tie Ga will come to Japan, defeat Akane, take Akane back to village as bride. Or both will stay here and raise a family. Not sure, think it could go either way. Akane gets someone who will respect and care for her, so she wins. You get a clear shot at Ranma, so both you and Ranma win. Rie Ga gets a new sister who knows a lot about the outside world, plus can stay with sister  
in laws family when I get Elders pissed off at me.-"  
  
"-You've been thinking about this.-" Shampoo was impressed.  
  
"Would you two kindly speak Japanese so I can understand you?" Akane snarled. There was the school up ahead.  
  
"Shampoo!?"  
  
"I see, Rie Ga." There was a crowd of armed males in front of the school. It looked like something out of the legends.  
  
"I hate BOYS!" Akane charged into the crowd, which moved to attack her.  
  
Rie Ga and Shampoo watched Akane move into a group of attacking boys and did the natural thing when seeing a sister Amazon (elect) being attacked by MALES who were using weapons (baseball bat, hockey stick, swords, etc) in an attempt to subdue and/or seriously injure a woman. If they were attacking one at a time, the two Amazons would have sat back and watched. Even if Akane were double-teamed, it would have been OK. Twenty-one odds? Definitely not in keeping with the rules.  
  
Rie Ga produced her jo staff. Shampoo produced her bonbori.  
  
"Hiyaaaaaaaa!" Shampoo arced down with both bonbori flashing in a complicated rhythm.  
  
"A-ta!" Rie Ga spun her staff around, then thrust it into the solar plexus of some guy in a hockey mask. Fearing that it might be that "Jason" guy she'd seen in a movie, Rie Ga decided to make sure he'd go down. "Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken!"  
  
Akane blinked. Bodies were flying everywhere. There were horrible crunching noises, moans of pain, and the occasional cracking noise or pop as joints were either broken or dislocated.  
  
Kuno, noting the silence that usually indicated that it was his turn, stepped from the tree he had been concealed behind, and threw a single rose towards Akane.   
  
As he began his speech, he noted that two young women were leaping at him.   
  
A moment after that he learned that throwing ANYTHING at Akane Tendo at that moment would forever be filed under "Incredibly Stupid Things To Do" or "Potato Manuevers" in the minds of all the students and faculty watching the proceedings.  
  
WHAMWHAMWHAMWHAMWHAMWHAM! Shampoo's bonbori beat a drumroll on his head.  
  
K-RUNCH! Rie Ga's flying snap kick caught Kuno in the groin.  
  
Both watched with some satisfaction as Kuno slid to the ground, making a squeaking noise deep in his throat.  
  
Akane, looking at broken and bleeding bodies littering the field, watching as Rie Ga was about to drive a killing blow into the school's star kendoist (actually she was aiming at a pressure point of Stone Cold Libido), did something quite out of character for her. She  
screamed.  
  
"Akane no worry, we make sure he no bother you again in this life." Rie Ga smiled. "We know what to do when men try to, how you say, force a woman."  
  
Looking around her, Akane tried to say something. "...but that, I mean, they weren't..."  
  
Shampoo blinked. "-What wrong with her?-"  
  
"-I don't know. Maybe this is some weird custom of these Japanese.-" Rie Ga sighed. "-Maybe we ought to spy on her from a distance until we understand these crazy people a bit more.-"  
  
"-Maybe she WANTED to be passed around like cheap bottle of wine?-" Shampoo looked at how upset Akane was and considered this a possibility. They'd heard stories about outsider women.  
  
"-Don't think so. Let's get going.-"  
  
"Sound good to Shampoo."  
  
--------  
  
Lunchtime at a nearly bare Furinkan. Ranma passed Nabiki, who smiled and winked at him before turning back to business.  
  
Ranma wasn't sure what to make of that.   
  
"Attention." A woman's voice crackled from the overhead speakers. "The report in from area hospitals is that there were no fatalities and no serious injuries."  
  
Scattered applause from the students.  
  
"The 'I will beat Akane Tendo into a bloody pulp so I can date her' club will be released tomorrow. Wednesday at the latest."  
  
Scattered applause again.  
  
"Tatewaki Kuno," the announcer's voice paused, "suffered greater injuries, and is expected to be in a full body cast for the next several months."  
  
Wild applause greeted that statement. Ranma noted that this seemed to make Akane rather happy. Maybe Junko was wrong and Akane *didn't* secretly encourage all those boys. Hmmm. It seemed rather unlikely but Ranma was willing to admit he didn't understand women AT ALL.  
  
"The two women spotted at the center of the battle are wanted for questioning. Any information on the two should be given to the vice-principal's office as soon as possible. Thank you."  
  
"Yo, Ranma," Hiroshi, one of Ranma's classmates, held out a shirt. "Have you seen these, they are just so cool."  
  
Ranma noted the "I survived the Furinkan Amazon Invasion" logo with the date written immediately below it. "Uh-huh. Two warriors equals an invasion?"  
  
"Hey, it's something. How many other schools even get this much excitement?"  
  
Ranma agreed there was a point there, somewhere.  
  
------  
  
Kasumi stepped out into the yard and began using the water ladle method to wash the front walkway. It was traditional, it was slow, it was inefficient, it was a comforting ritual. Neither Akane nor Nabiki would have washed the front walk this way. Both Kasumi and the Warrior would do it, and would do it this way for the same reasons.   
  
Kasumi considered this as she finished the job in short precise movements. Yin and yang. Two sides of the same thing, interlocking because they fit and their natures depended on one another. The curses seemed to amount to the same thing. Genma, fat and lazy and proud. Much like the panda he turned into. Nabiki had been described as "catty" before. Ranma had a hidden side   
despite all his brashness and rough edges, perhaps this was reflected in his curse as well.  
  
That line of thought brought the thought of the Warrior to her. "Heisei" was probably a translation of her name, not her real name. It was easier to call her simply the Warrior. She could feel her presence grow stronger with every transformation. She was calm, and she was strength, she was an Archetype - the gentle warrior who must fight but regrets the battles. The reluctant warrior who craves peace but never seems to find it.  
  
Even in death, Kasumi realized with a shiver.  
  
"Ni hao, sister Heisei." Shampoo called as she leapt to the roof of the Tendo dojo.  
  
"Ni hao, sister Kasumi," corrected Rie Ga. "We need tell elder that great warrior return to us."  
  
"Who this 'we' Rie Ga speak of? I no want to talk with Great Grandmama any more than she do."   
  
"She favor Tao Kun marry Rie Ga. Tao Kun big, Tao Kun strong, Tao Kun good fighter. Rie Ga say phooey on that. Tao Kun sword smarter than he is."  
  
Kasumi watched the two sit down on the roof, each saying that the other was the logical choice to bring this development to the attention of their elder council.  
  
She sighed and wondered if she should bring it to their attention that Cologne had been there briefly right after everyone had received their curses, and most likely knew about it already.  
  
Kasumi returned her attention to the task at hand.  
  
----------  
  
Akane thought about the BOY that supposedly had saved her life. She resented many things about him: his reputed skills in the martial arts, that his feud with that other boy had resulted in Nabiki and Kasumi getting weird curses, that Ranma DEFENDED said boy by saying that this Ryouga wouldn't normally attack anyone besides himself. There was that nasty arranged engagement thing too. All his fault.  
  
She also despised his typically male arrogance and chauvanistic attitude. He refused to take her talk of a connection between them due to the shared chi as something serious, putting it down to HER imagination. Now he was putting the moves on her sister, Nabiki, spending a lot of time around her. Then he'd go flirt with that hussy Shampoo without so much as an apology to her sister!  
  
He even refused to take her seriously in a fight. She'd tried to spar him twice now and all he did was dodge her attacks. Well, he'd take her seriously soon. She'd train with Kasumi's Warrior half and see if he reacted differently when she kicked his butt so hard he'd be tasting toenail polish.  
  
------  
  
The next day was quiet. Most of the boys who had fought the Amazons were back, though the number of casts and bandages were sufficient reminder of the previous day's events that an eerie calm descended on the school.  
  
No major surprises, and most of the teachers were glad for the break from the big morning fight that usually announced Akane's arrival to school.  
  
Ranma left school with Nabiki. He killed time by talking with the school's Karate Club while she finished her business meetings. There was gossip about them being an "item" but Ranma knew he was just getting comfortable talking with Nabiki.  
  
Finally both were ready and met up in the front of the school.   
  
"RANMA, PREPARE TO DIE!"  
  
Ranma saw Akane running towards him and shrugged. "Hold this," he tossed his bookbag to  
Nabiki. They were just leaving the school, now this. Guys couldn't attack him in the middle of an exam or during gym, could they? Had to wait until it was inconvenient.  
  
Shaking his head, he took in Akane's snarl and body positioning. "What are you so mad about this time? Geez, you are SO uncute. Especially in that outfit." Well, at least she was wearing something more suitable for a fight than the school uniform.  
  
"Die, Ranma!" Akane snarled and smashed in a section of some unfortunate property owner's wall. "Because of you I've seen HELL!"  
  
"Been lookin' in the mirror again?" Ranma dodged but noted that Akane had been working out, there had been serious power in that strike.  
  
"Damn you! Stand still and fight!" Akane turned to glare at Ranma.  
  
"Calm down, Akane," Nabiki touched her sister's shoulder. She was going to say that whatever she was angry about couldn't be THAT bad.  
  
"BACK OFF!" Akane didn't even look. She casually backhanded her sister, who slid nearly three feet before coming to a stop.   
  
There were startled gasps. Everyone was used to seeing Akane beating up guys first thing in the morning, but to actually hit her own sister. The crowd gave them more room. The consensus of the comments being that the stress of the morning combats had completely flipped Akane out.   
  
Nabiki looked up from where she came to rest and checked her bleeding nose. "Akane?"  
  
Ranma was as shocked as the rest of the students. "Akane, are you crazy? What you do that for, you uncute tomboy!"  
  
"You shut up!" Akane pointed a finger at Ranma. "For what you've done to me, I WILL KILL YOU!"  
  
"What'd I do?!"  
  
"Words cannot convey the suffering I've endured thanks to you..." Akane clenched her fists.  
  
"Why won't you tell me what I've done?"  
  
"Here, Nabiki," Yuka offered Nabiki a glass of water. "You've got blood all over your faceeee." Yuka looked startled as she tripped.  
  
Nabiki winced, just knowing what was going to happen. *SPLASH!*  
  
There were startled yelps from the students as Nabiki shifted. Nabiki-neko ignored them as unimportant compared to what was before her. What was of the greatest importance was the scent reaching her.  
  
"Rrrranma. It's not Akannne. Rrrrryouga!" She snarled at the disguised boy, deeming that it was time for a little payback.  
  
========================================  
  
oh well, everyone saw that coming the first time, so no surprises now, eh?  
  
  
  



	5. Cat-astrophe at Furinkan

NEUTRAL GROUND 5:   
Cat-astrophe At Furinkan by Gregg Sharp  
  
"I'm on? Oh right. Ahem. My name is Tetsuo Tsukiku and welcome to another episode of 'Neutral Ground' one of the storylines in 'The Bet'. Uhm, am I in this one? No? Oh, damn. Well, maybe if there's a  
'Happi Days' sequel?  
  
"Eh-toh, Ranma 1/2 is tm Takahashi Rumiko, Viz, etc. Characters not used by permission, no profit being made, just typical fanfic stuff. Don't bring in the lawyers as my spirit wards are only rated as up to SPF (spiritual protection factor) three.  
  
"Previous chapters have shown that a simple change of having the Tendos and Saotomes meet on Neutral Ground has had far reaching consequence. Ryouga attacked everyone at Jusenkyo for reasons to be revealed in this very episode, with the result that Nabiki, Kasumi, and  
Ranma all have Jusenkyo curses. Ryouga has just been revealed to have fallen in the newly created Akanenichuan or 'Spring Of Drowned Uncute Tempramental Tomboy'...Ranma, were you the one who wrote these cue  
cards? No, no magic. It was just a hunch."  
  
-------------------------------------------  
  
"R-Ryouga?!" Ranma stared at the Akane standing in front of him. No wonder the baggy black leggings and yellow shirt looked familiar. "You?"  
  
"Akane" spat at him. "Do you understand the hell I've been through because of you, Ranma? Because you ran out on a man-to-man fight with me, I followed you all the way to China!"  
  
"I waited three days, you lunkhead! The site of our duel was the empty lot behind your house, how long was I SUPPOSED to wait?"  
  
There was a muttering in the crowd. Half of them were still dealing with the fact that Nabiki was now sporting cat ears and a tail and had gone running off after announcing that this was an imposter Akane.  
  
"Then the real horror..." *SPLASH*  
  
Hot water dribbled down Ryouga as he shifted back to his normal form. He glared up at Nabiki-neko. "I'm trying to set a mood here!"  
  
"I always knew Akane was a real tomboy," stage whispered one girl to another.  
  
"Ugh, you mean we've been trying to win the heart of... that GUY?!" One of the bandaged Akane suitors shuddered. "Eeeewwwwww." His sentiment was echoed all over the schoolyard.  
  
Ranma pursed his lips, thinking that Ryouga looked a little puzzled by the running commentary in the sidelines. "Uhm, excuse me, Ryouga? The real horror?"  
  
"Oh, thanks. Well, it all began..."  
  
"Aiyaaaaa! Shampoo! Look who here! It Bandana Boy!"  
  
"Uh oh." Ryouga turned slowly, dreading what he would see. "A-Amazons? Here?"  
  
"Bandana Boy here? Shampoo have to send word to village." Shampoo hopped down from the fence, not deigning to notice the way the crowd of students parted to give her a wide berth. "Shampoo know many Amazons want to meet Bandana Boy again."  
  
Rie Ga waved to Ranma. "Nihao, Ranma. Bandana Boy here wander into Amazon hot spring, get nosebleed he look at many Amazon who relaxing. He run through many Amazon building where men not supposed to go. He run over Amazon beehive, he very tough, he very strong."  
  
"He also knock out three Amazon womans," Shampoo nodded. "They all want to track him down, bring him back to village. He transform there. Turn into husband!"  
  
"Eeep!" Ryouga's eyes got bigger. "Curse you Ranma, this is all your fault!"  
  
"MY FAULT?" Ranma stared. "You crash a woman's bath in Amazon Country and it's MY FAULT? So why did you attack...oh, I get it. You saw I was with some girls and you thought I was in cahoots with the   
Amazons."  
  
"Don't deny it, Ranma! The proof is right there." Ryouga pointed at Shampoo and Rie Ga who were discussing the fastest way to send a report back to the Elders without either of them having to face Shampoo's great-grandmama again.  
  
"Ryouga, you dummy. It ain't like that."  
  
Ryouga tried to find comfort in physical confrontation, this battle of words wasn't his schtick at all. "It's past time for talk, Ranma, now DIE!"  
  
"I wonder," Hiroshi and Daisuke held their glasses of water up. Nodding they unleashed them.  
  
Ryouga transformed back into "Akane." Ranma became a shorter, much more feminine version of himself with longer pointed ears.  
  
"What'cha do that for?" Ranma-chan yelled, revealing cute little fangs.   
  
"Ranmaaaaa," Ryouga charged towards Ranma while he was distracted.  
  
Ranma instinctively leapt over Ryouga and watched, dumbfounded, as the lost boy continued running.  
  
"Rrrrowwrrrr," Nabiki-neko made an impressive leap and ran after Ryouga.  
  
The crowd looked to Ranma-chan who was still staring at where Ryouga had been a moment ago. "This really sucks."  
  
"Uhm, Ranma," Hiroshi began.  
  
"Would you mind telling us what's going on?"  
  
Ranma sighed and motioned Shampoo and Rie Ga closer. "As quickly as he gets lost, I'll never find him anyway. All right, people, it's like this..."  
  
------  
  
Akane wiped sweat away as Kasumi, no, Heisei went to find some hot water to change back with. Akane couldn't wait to show Ranma the new move she'd just learned.  
  
"So you're back here, are you?" Ranma-chan landed, her dragonwings folding back and vanishing.  
  
"Ranma? Good, I'm going to show you up now for not taking me seriously as a martial artist."  
  
Ranma-chan settled into a fight stance and smiled. It was not a pleasant smile, cute little fangs or not. "You don't have to worry about that, Ryouga. When I was explaining to the guys at school, it all suddenly clicked together."  
  
Akane slapped a fist into the palm of her other hand. "Talking crazy isn't going to get you out of this beating, Ranma."  
  
"Don't worry," Ranma-chan's eyes went to slits. "I won't KILL you, Ryouga."  
  
"You're nuts." Akane stepped forward, flipped back and began the flying circle kick that Heisei had just shown her how to do.  
  
Ranma moved slightly, grabbing Akane's leg and increasing the momentum dramatically. Akane found herself quite literally flying across the yard, upside down, and not nearly as in control as Heisei had been when showing her the manuever.  
  
*THOOOM!*  
  
Akane realized that she was partially imbedded in the compound wall, upside down, and looking back at Ranma. "That....hurt..."  
  
"Dragonwing!" Ranma-chan unfurled her wings and advanced at full speed towards Akane, fist first.   
  
Akane's eyes widened as she realized what was about to happen. A little voice spoke up inside her head saying something about how it would be a really good idea to move right about now.  
  
Akane moved just enough that Ranma-chan went through the indentation on the wall that she had just made, turning it into an actual hole.  
  
Akane kept in a ready stance but began backing up. "Ranma, I'm glad you're taking me seriously as an opponent, but this is a bit much..."  
  
Ranma-chan appeared overhead, reminding Akane of how a hawk would briefly appear to hover before making a sudden dive to grab a mouse or other morsel for a quick kill. The sudden equation of herself to such prey caused her pride to lock horns with her instinct for  
self-preservation.  
  
"You've got to live, Ryouga, otherwise you can't tell me what you've done with Akane." Ranma-chan began her dive.  
  
"I'm NOT Ryouga!" Akane scrambled to get out of the way. As Ranma-chan came closer she aimed a kick at the dragongirl. It connected, but now Ranma-chan had her hands on Akane's extended leg.  
  
"You didn't think I figured it out, Ryouga? That cute and sweet girl who offered to spar and be friends on that mountain trail suddenly turns into a violent tomboy ready to rip my head off all the time?"  
Ranma-chan was lifting with her wings, hauling the dangling Akane straight up.  
  
"When was I 'cute and sweet'?" Akane looked down and realized how fast they were gaining altitude. "Uh ohhhhhhhhh."  
  
"Yeah, and you're gonna tell me where the REAL Akane is, or I'm letting you go when we get to airliner level."  
  
"I _AM_ AKANE, YOU BONEHEAD!"  
  
"Uh-huh. Real convincing, Ryouga. You obviously got away from Nabiki, but I'm not letting you get away that easily THIS time."  
  
Akane looked down at the river underneath them now, and the tiny little lines that were roads. "Ranma, I think I really preferred it when you just dodged everything I threw at you, and you refused to hit me. Is it too late to go back to that arrangement?"  
  
"Ryouga, if that cute, kind, friendly girl you are impersonating is harmed in ANY way, I will personally make your hide into Nabiki's scratching post." Ranma-chan let go and began to glide away from her opponent. "Top floor. Last chance, Ryouga!"  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa."  
  
"Aiming for the ocean, Ryouga? Hey, you can't get lost now, can you? Only one way to go."  
  
"AAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa."  
  
Ranma-chan sighed. This wasn't working. Stronger measures were obviously called for. She knew she had to rescue Akane, who knew what tortures she was going through while Ryouga was impersonating her?!  
  
Akane scrunched her eyes. She was going to hit the water at terminal velocity, she couldn't swim and she was sure they called it "terminal" for a reason.  
  
-------  
  
Ryouga glanced behind him and damn near went into a panic, a rare moment for him. The girl chasing after him was keeping pace without even breathing hard, and making 30ft leaps. It was almost as if...   
  
She was playing with him. Cat and mouse. As if she could easily catch him at any time, but was trying to wear him down before moving in for the kill.  
  
Ryouga continued to run, but was now considering the inevitable fight. He didn't hit women, normally. After what happened in that village of Amazons he was especially reluctant to hit any MORE women.   
  
As soon as he found a tight area that would restrict the cat-girl's speed, he'd turn and fight her. He'd show her that Ryouga Hibiki, no matter the outside form, was not someone to toy with.  
  
--------  
  
"Oh my." Kasumi watched as a sopping wet Ranma caused her dragonwings to vanish and dumped an equally soaked Akane on the porch.  
  
"Kasumi, Ryouga's somehow taken Akane's form. Can you get me some hot water?" Ranma sighed and looked down where the gi was plastered against her chest. She still didn't like turning into a girl, but had to admit that this form had some serious advantages. Faster and  
stronger than her uncursed form, able to fly and who knew what else. Maybe he ought to have Nabiki help him figure it out, she could dig up some references on the supposed abilities of dragons and he could see if any of them carried over to his cursed form.  
  
Kasumi brought a cup of hot water. With herself, Nabiki, AND Ranma all having curses, one of those little hot water dispensers had become a necessity. Even if Nabiki had rigged them with a coin slot. Genma didn't really seem to care whether he was a panda or not at any particular juncture, and so rarely used the device. Of course, it might have just been that he was cheap.  
  
*SPLASH*. Akane jerked a little bit, opened her eyes, and scooted AWAY from Ranma-chan. "Stay away from me, don't come any closer..."  
  
"She didn't change," Ranma noted.  
  
"No." Kasumi said with a puzzled expression.  
  
"I'm Akane, really." Akane was watching Ranma carefully. There was no anger there, only fear. She was quite obviously hurt, but it was her pride that had taken the most severe beating. "I'm not Ryouga."  
  
"If you're Akane," Ranma began, not really wanting to consider the possibility that he'd made a mistake, "then what were we talking about on the trail?"  
  
"What?" Akane scooted a little further away. "I don't remember, it wasn't important, we were just making small talk!"  
  
"Ara...Ranma-kun," Kasumi interjected. "I think this really IS Akane."  
  
Ranma flinched as he saw the fear in the young girl's eyes and hoped Kasumi was wrong.  
  
--------  
  
Ryouga ran into the narrow alleyway, then turned and made ready for the pursuing catgirl. Since his little "adventure" in the Amazon village, he had become a lot more ready to hit girls. Not *too* much - as that caused other problems. Hitting them to get away from them was fine though.  
  
"C'mere, you little monster," Ryouga taunted. It would be easier to fight her if he thought of the catgirl as some sort of monster. Never mind the flash of golden leg as she leapt overhead, it didn't matter. Especially as he was still in girl-form.  
  
A sound behind him caused Ryouga to duck just as something went past him at high speeds. The billowing grey skirt revealed itself  
as a schooldress.   
  
Nabiki smiled. The mouse had turned and was ready to fight. Judging from the hole this "Akane" had made in the walkway, Nabiki  
couldn't allow her opponent to get close enough to grapple. The narrow alley with debris and garbage underfoot would also make footing uncertain, particularly in her instinctual high speed mode of combat.  
  
The mouse had chosen an excellent place to make a stand.  
  
Nabiki hid and watched from a distance, feline instincts coming into play. Cats can be quite patient, when they want to be and when circumstances merit it.  
  
---------  
  
Several hours later, Akane had calmed down enough to be yelling and threatening Ranma on a constant basis, despite the other's attempt at apologies.  
  
Nabiki sat, shaking slightly, looking at her manicured hands and wondering if, like Lady MacBeth, she'd be able to look at her hands again without seeing blood there. Ryouga had gotten away, but not without Nabiki-neko's claw attack drawing a fair amount of blood.  
  
Kasumi, humming what Shampoo and Rie Ga recognized as an old Amazon love song, was cleaning up from dinner. That the song had a decidedly martial air was to be expected.  
  
Rie Ga and Shampoo sat on the roof, ignoring the boy who  
sat on the other end, and discussed quietly what a weird place the   
outside world was. They had finally decided to send Cologne a postcard  
telling the Elder of their discoveries and that they'd be staying here for some time.  
  
Soun and Genma played shogi and plotted how to get Heisei  
to challenge Ranma. After all, if Nabiki didn't work out, there was  
always the chance Kasumi would.   
  
Ryouga, miles away already, and carrying her backpack, was really getting tired of this guy with the candles strapped to his head  
following her around. She reminded herself she didn't beat on people   
who'd die just from the air pressure, and this "Hikaru Gosunkugi" didn't look like he could take much of a punch.  
  
Tatewaki Kuno stared at the ceiling, where Sasuke had placed the three posters he'd requested. "Ah, Akane Tendo, so proud and strong! Ah, Shampoo, so swift and fierce! Ah, Tiger, so young and energetic! I must have them all!"  
  
Sasuke tried to ignore the ranting and hysterical laughter  
from the master, which was easier with the full body cast in place.  
It was truly not a thought worthy of a loyal ninja like himself, but he  
wondered if he could get Kodachi to annoy the two Amazons, and what it would be like to have some peace and quiet at the Kuno estate. He supposed it would be...nice.  
  
Luna watched the evening news, saw the blurry pictures of a  
winged girl and a catgirl, and just KNEW the Negaverse was at work  
again. She'd have to convince Usagi to gather the Sailor Senshi and   
investigate this.  
  
Ayaka Kisaragi saw the same coverage and wondered if maybe she  
could find another client. Hmmm. Nerima. She hadn't been out that way for years.  
  
Yohko found her grandmother ranting about how some pesky demons  
were showing up in one of the suburbs. Mamono Hunter Yohko hoped it wouldn't make her late, she had a date in a few hours.  
  
Ataru Moroboshi saw the picture of the catgirl and drooled. "Kawa-iiii." He just had to meet her. Nerima? She was close, therefore the gods had smiled on him!  
  
Ryu glanced at the monitor. Hmm. This might make for an interesting fight, he'd heard rumors of another sort of Street Fighter  
circuit, composed of supernatural beings, perhaps they would be sufficient challenge.  
  
Sakura watched the television with a manic grin. Cool. The fight between the girl and the dragon-girl looked like just the sort of thing that would draw Ryu out.  
  
Jon Talbain exchanged a glance with his companion, who was staring at the picture on the tape. "I didn't know there were  
other catgirls around."  
  
"I didn't either," Felicity said as she continued to stare. "Do you suppose they're Darkstalkers?"  
  
"I suppose we'll have to go to this Nerima and find out." Jon nodded. "The other one looks different from Morrigan, but I suppose she COULD be another succubus..."  
  
-----  
  
NEXT EPISODE: Neutral Ground 6/6  
Ranma fights, Nabiki makes  
money, Akane gets mad, Kasumi gets  
wet, and Shampoo and Rie Ga try to  
fit in. It's the wrap up of Neutral Ground  
(unless it wins "The Bet" of course.)  
See you there.  
  
"gomen ne, has anyone done a   
You're Under Arrest/Patlabor fusion?"  



	6. Neutral Ground

NEUTRAL GROUND 6/6:   
"Cats, Dragons, & Borgs, Oh my" by Gregg Sharp  
  
----------  
  
One month. Not a terribly long time. Enough time for a certain area known as the Furin ward of a section of Tokyo called Nerima to get a certain reputation.   
  
Holding the scrap of newspaper in her hand, she scanned the   
skies. This was Nerima, where the dragongirl, the catgirls, the green and red haired beast, aliens, and all the others had come. To be specific, this was the corner of "Ya Gotta Be Nuts" Real Estate Agency, which served the two wards it bordered - Tomobiki and Furinkan.  
  
She glanced down at the newspaper clipping again, though she had memorized it weeks ago when it had first come out. "EUGENICS TESTING IN NERIMA?" was the headline. It was a line much further in, talking about the Chinese Amazons and their companion "Ranma Saotome" that had caused this journey.  
  
"Ranma," she murmurred, drawing her battle spatula. "I shall find you and PUNISH you."   
  
"'Scuse me, pardon me," said a boy in Chinese clothing as he  
raced through the crowd and past the girl in boy's clothing. "Coming through."  
  
The woman stood there for a moment. That was... It couldn't have been HIM already, could it?  
  
"AIREN!" Shampoo on her bicycle scooted past the dramatically posed, spatula wielding girl a moment later.  
  
Ukyou staggered as she was shoved to the side by the bicyclist.  
  
"Mrrooooowwwww!" Nabiki made another of her infamous 30ft leaps, landed on the girl's head briefly, then on to a streetlight, then bounded around the corner after the other two.  
  
"Rannnmmaaaa, you forgot your lunch, dammit!" An attractive woman of about nineteen, carrying a quarterstaff and a wrapped obento raced past, almost keeping pace with the catgirl. She was wearing a frilly apron and a dress and blouse combination that seemed out of place on someone who was making leaps almost as impressive as the catgirl.  
  
Ukyo blinked repeatedly, still trying to decide if that had been Ranma.  
  
"Nabiki-chan, Heisei-chan, Shampoo-chan!" A young man with a vapid expression shot past Ukyou a few seconds behind THAT woman.  
  
Ukyou bigsweated. This was not what she expected. nfortunately, she still had the spatula lifted up over her head in the dramatic pose.  
  
*Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzaaaaap!*  
  
"DARLING NO BAKA!" A green haired woman, throwing lightning  
at the youth who had just passed Ukyou, found that some of her voltage struck the upraised metallic object clenched in one hand. Being Lum, she didn't really consider the possibility that person now twitching on the ground could be hurt from a few piddly little thousand volts.  
  
Ukyou groaned and started to lift herself up, noting that her hair, which was a great source of pride to her, was currently kinky and lightly fried. Maybe that *had* been her target."R-R-Ranma?!" Why was the ground shaking? With a feeling that she was going to regret it, Ukyou started to look behind her.  
  
*TRAMPLE* "Rokkon! Why don't your exorcisms work against that   
demon?" The woman with a light sabre in one hand and a handful of spirit wards in the other asked as she stepped on Ukyo's back, flooring the chef again briefly.  
  
*SLAM!* "I have no idea, Miss Ayaka!" The reply coming from some massive fellow in Shinto robes as he stepped in between Ukyo's shoulder blades.  
  
*STOMP*"Who ya gonna call!"  
  
*STEP!* "Oh shuttup, Ray."  
  
*CRUNCH!* "Hmmph. These Japanese leave so much trash on  
their sidewalks. Hurry up, I'll show that boy to trifle with ME!"  
  
"Yes, mistress Aenslad!"  
  
"Ooooo. Leopold! Come to Azusa!"  
  
Ukyou managed to look up again, just in time to see some little girl on roller skates grab her battle spatula and go racing off with it. "Rrranma, I'll find you..." Everything went black for Ukyou.  
  
This was really a pity as the nine foot tall dull metallic cyborg that picked her up and slung her over one shoulder a moment later would have been of particular interest to her.  
  
He cocked his head, adjusted his unconcious passenger, and activated a sort of pop-out jetpack on his back. Roaring off to a more quiet area, he did a quick dodge to avoid the "Sparkling Wide Pressure" that had been aimed at him. Very carefully, he stuck one hand back and proceeded to give Sailor Jupiter the finger.  
  
Of course, then he had to dodge several other blasts.  
  
-------  
  
Ukyou woke up and pondered. "Unfamiliar ceiling." The room itself appeared to be a small office, with a heavily reinforced cot. Getting up, she looked outside the large window. A construction company of some kind from the piles of brick and lumber.  
  
A large metal statue moved.   
  
After screaming and jumping three feet in the air, Ukyou realized that the figure was still just sitting there and regarding her.  
  
"You really ought not to jump around like that. You may have a concussion from all that."  
  
"Where am I?"  
  
"I brought you home." The statue shrugged. "At least until I find out, are you here to help Ranma Saotome, or hurt him?"  
  
"I'm here for revenge! That jackass and his father abandoned me when I was six years old!" She watched as the statue got up, moved past her, and opened the door.  
  
"Leave." It was a simple statement, but the voice was sad.  
  
"Sure thing. Uhm, do you know where I can find him? And, uh, WHAT are you?"  
  
"A construction worker." A deep sigh. "A time traveler, stuck in the distant past, who came to a strange and backwards country because of the very same article that brought you here. Oh, and yes, I know where Ranma Saotome is."  
  
"So, where is he?"   
  
The metallic head with its almost skull-like face shook from side to side. "Not telling you. I've already had enough misunderstandings with Ranma and his friends. Oh, and yes, I'm a military grade transforming cyborg named Ralph."  
  
Ukyou moved past the cyborg, thinking that maybe she should get  
this over with quickly so she could get out of Nerima quickly. It was way too  
weird for a Kansai girl like herself.  
  
-----  
  
Daisuke and Hiroshi sat in a booth across from Yuka and Sayuri, comparing notes for the tests when the subject came up of Akane's latest.  
  
"Yeah, she's so depressed about all the boys just sort of avoiding her." Yuka sipped on her cola and watched as some guy wearing a bandolier of spatulas went stalking past. "She was happy about it at first, but when they started acting like they expected her to turn into something disgusting at any moment..."  
  
"It's not much better in the girl's locker room," Sayuri said. "Heck, how can you be sure Akane isn't going to turn into that Hibiki kid?"  
  
"Went from the most popular girl in school to avoided by everyone in one day," Daisuke nodded. "Gotta hurt."  
  
Sayuri shrugged. "I thought she'd enjoy it. I mean she always hated to go through all that before."  
  
"Oh yeah," Yuka rolled her eyes. "You know Akane's never fired a gun and they give her a BFG to tote around in that thing. Rambo-Akane. What was Nabiki thinking of?"  
  
"Money," shrugged Daisuke, thinking it was obvious.  
  
"Got you there," Sayuri sipped on her Cherry Coke.  
  
"I hear that Bandai's doing an action figure, with 'kung fu death grip' or something." Hiroshi smiled.   
  
"Figures." Yuka pointed. "Hey, there's Akane now."  
  
"Or it could be Ryouga." Daisuke stopped and looked. "Hard to tell, except Ryouga doesn't wear dresses." The girl walking by was wearing a jogging outfit. "At least I don't think he does."  
  
"Maybe we ought to tell Ranma." Yuka said thoughtfully.  
  
"Nabiki. That way she can set up the betting pools, then let Ranma know. If Nabiki makes a profit off it, she'll remember the favor." Hiroshi got up.  
  
"Damn, 'Roshi, I always knew you had a brain in there somewhere."  
  
"Aw, shuttup, Dai."  
  
-------  
  
"Ryouga," Ranma acknowledged the presence of his rival.  
  
"I'm not here to fight you, Ranma." Ryouga sat a few feet away on the roof of the Tendo-ke. "Just wandered in, I'll fight you some other time."  
  
Ranma grunted. He'd had a pretty wearying day as well.  
  
"Ranma, this girl I look like..."  
  
"Yeah, you seem to like wearing that shape, don'cha?"  
  
"It could be worse, I suppose." Ryouga sat back. "She means something to you, doesn't she?"  
  
"Yeah. No. I dunno!" Ranma sighed and checked for any Amazons that might be around. He didn't SEE any, at least.   
  
"What do you mean, you don't know?" Ryouga scowled.  
  
Ranma had to admit that made Ryouga look even more like Akane, but Akane had been wearing a sundress earlier, and Ryouga was wearing his usual clothes, even if they didn't fit right in his cursed form. "I mean I don't know. Geez, Ryouga. What you want to know for?"  
  
"Hey, I'm a teenage BOY too, you know. I heard you think she's cute."  
  
"HEY! That uncute...well, yeah. I mean when she's not mad, and when she's smiling, I mean...well kinda."  
  
"So you do like her?" Ryouga chuckled. "Don't worry, I won't tell her. My word on it."  
  
"Uhm. Yeah. Oh what difference does it make?" Ranma got up and walked to the edge of the roof. "Thanks to YOU she's scared to death of me, I got Nabiki coming on to me when she's half- c-c-c-cat, and after Pop told Heisei that I had said her Amazon fighting arts were lame..."  
  
"So that's how that happened." Ryouga got up and walked to the side of the building. Then something that Ranma had said penetrated. "What does he mean, 'scared to death' -honestly that boy has SUCH an ego."  
  
"Akane?" Nabiki looked up from a ladder. "You done up here?"  
  
"Sure am," smirked Akane as she took off the bandana. "By the way, what's up with Ranma and Kasumi?"  
  
"Oh, Daddy's little plans. Mister Saotome told Heisei that Ranma had referred to Amazon fighting arts as a crutch for the inept. Heisei challenged Ranma, Ranma got kicked around the yard a few times, but managed to knock Heisei out."  
  
"So Heisei would have given Ranma the 'Kiss Of Marriage', and since Kasumi and Heisei are in the same body..."  
  
"I AM planning on discussing this with Daddy later." Nabiki's eyes narrowed. "Paybacks are a bitch."  
  
-----  
  
The cyborg noted the presence of the visitor but didn't turn his attention from the task at hand.  
  
"Bridge got busted, huh?"  
  
"Yes." Ralf welded the I-beam into place with one hand while holding it up with the other. He'd already identified his visitor and determined that the stance was non-threatening. Now, if it had been those Senshi...   
  
"You work for the city?"  
  
"Nerima Public Works, Emergency Repairs." Ralf let go of the newly welded beam, confident in the molecular fusing technique he'd used. The new beam was now literally of one piece with the rest of the framework. "They pay fairly well, though I'm considered 'gaijin tarento' with them."  
  
"Can I ask you something?"  
  
"You must have met Ranma," Ralf was turning his attention to the crumbled concrete. A quick radar pulse showed fracture lines in the remaining concrete that would also have to go. "He's not what you expected, is he?"   
  
"No." Ukyou watched the metallic figure at work. "He's..."  
  
"A jerk. A likable jerk, mind you. But then most sixteen year olds who've spent their life being dragged around on ten year training missions and not allowed to interact with much of anyone, tend to be jerks."  
  
"Uh, yeah." Ukyou felt again the desire to go to back to Kobe, to leave the madness of Tokyo behind. "Where else could you find a combat cyborg from some impossible future happily repairing damage from a battle that had involved otherdimensional demons fighting sailor suited teenage girls?"  
  
"You get used to it." Ralf shrugged. "With all the news coverage of those Chinese Amazons, the dragongirl, oh- and Nabiki getting hired as a spokesmodel for that new economy sportscar- the Whisker, lots of strangeness has been migrating locally."  
  
"Uhm."  
  
"Don't let it get to you. It's not that big a deal. Oh yeah, got something for you." Moving to his truck, the cyborg shifted a few items around. "Here we go."  
  
"My spatula!" Ukyou took her combat spatula back. "Where did you find it?"  
  
"The police periodically have to go to the residence of one 'Azusa Shiratori' and recover a number of items. Why they don't just arrest her, I'll never understand. Anyway, they recovered a bunch of stuff swiped from all over the place, including that spatula. I heard 'em mention it on my commlink, and contacted them as I knew the owner."  
  
"Thanks." She felt a LOT better with this back in her possession.  
  
"No prob." The cyborg actually looked at her. "I've got a question, though, why are you dressed like a boy?"  
  
"Vengeance thing. You can tell?"  
  
"Thermographic readings, among other things. Around here the crossdressing isn't all that strange, but if it is something to do with fighting you might want to reconsider. There are plenty of women fighters around here..."  
  
"Look! It's that metal youma again!"  
  
Ukyou and Ralf's eyes met. "The Sailor Senshi, AGAIN!"  
  
"Gotta go," Ralf activated a jetpack, "they do WAY too much property damage. Later."  
  
"In the name of the moon, hey, get back here!"  
  
"Flame sniper!"  
  
"Mars! You almost hit that boy!"  
  
"I don't understand, I'm still not reading any Negaverse energy."  
  
Ukyou watched as five sailor suited girls, plus two cats, raced off in the general direction that Ralf had just left in. It looked like Ranchan wasn't the only one around here who was clueless.  
  
THAT determined, Ukyou decided to have a little talk with one of the others around here before the scheduled fight with Ranma.  
  
======  
  
A year passed. The cyborg saw Miss Kuonji's business taking off, and arranged to stop by.  
  
The two sat and discussed the changes of the past year.  
  
Nabiki's cursed form being used in various ads where her semi-feline exoticness was a big draw. Just the feline slinkiness in her movements was enough to be a fair draw. Though the bets were being taken even now as to whether she would give that line up for her manga artist career now that "Amazon Warrior" was taking off. Then there were the residuals she was getting from being the agent representing three Amazons (Akane, Shampoo, and Rie Ga.)  
  
Ranma still had problems with Nabiki's cursed form, not that she could spare any time to pursue him anymore in any case. Akane was still scared of him, almost to the extent that Ranma was afraid of cats. Kasumi/Heisei had talked to the parents and the engagement between Kasumi and Ranma had been called off.  
  
Shampoo and Rie Ga had been detained by the police, eventually released, and were working as part of a "sentai" show. Their schedule, with the various promotional appearances, kept them on the road for long periods. Rie Ga loved it. Shampoo didn't care for it, especially considering what happened to her airen while she was on the road.  
  
Kasumi remained Kasumi. Heisei helped Nabiki out by posing for sketches. Kasumi and Heisei hadn't completely merged yet, but each had started picking up mannerisms from the other. Heisei was teaching Amazon Combat Techniques at the dojo.  
  
"And what of you, Miss Kuonji?"   
  
"Business is good," Ukyou nodded and flashed a smile. "Oh, and it's Mrs Saotome, now."  
  
Ralf nodded. About time that Saotome boy settled down. Now if everyone else would, maybe he could schedule a vacation.  
  
"Look, it's that youma!"  
  
Ralf covered his face. He was really tired of the Senshi. Almost as much as he was tired of the Legion Of Substitute Senshi.   
  
Amy restrained Lita. "You can't attack him there, Jupiter!"  
  
"Why not? It's that metal youma that keeps flipping me off!"  
  
"That's Ucchan's. Remember?"  
  
"Oh." Jupiter paused. "Well, he's lucky then. Otherwise, I'd..."  
  
Ukyou smirked. Having the various groups declare Ucchan's to be a neutral meeting place between all the various groups had been a stroke of genius. She'd have to thank that Belldandy again, next time she saw her. Yes, there was a certain profit to be made, in being neutral ground.  
  
======  
  
THAT'S ALL FOLKS!  
Neutral Ground opening theme: "Twilight" by ELO  
Neutral Ground ending theme: "Hearts In Motion"  



End file.
